As Golf Grows, Its Oldest Traditions Quietly Fading

Golf has always balanced tradition with innovation. But as the game reaches new players and evolves with modern trends, some of its most meaningful customs are quietly disappearing, lost to convenience, corporate influence, and changing expectations.

Many new golfers assume golf’s difficulty lies in the rules. They point to the etiquette, the attire, and the customs as barriers. In reality, these are the very things that define the culture of the game. Without them, golf risks losing its identity.

Caddies were once essential to the golf experience. More than bag carriers, they offered course management advice, swing insights, and camaraderie. Today, they’ve largely been replaced by electric carts and GPS screens. Golf carts may be efficient, but they don’t rake bunkers, clean clubs, or help read greens.

Caddies, Clubs, and Clothes

For many clubs, the decision came down to cost. Maintaining a fleet of carts is easier than employing a trained caddie staff. For some players, especially those newer to the game, driving a cart feels like part of the fun. But when we lose caddies, we also lose mentorship and depth.

Across society, people dress for the occasion. A wedding has a dress code. So does a fine restaurant or a courtroom. But at golf courses, requests for tucked-in shirts or proper footwear are often met with frustration.

Golf has long emphasized presentation. It’s not about class or exclusion. It’s about respect for the game and those playing it. Showing up ready to play includes more than a warm-up routine. It’s a mindset that honors the course, your partners, and yourself.

Long irons, particularly the 2, 3, and 4-iron, have nearly vanished from amateur bags. Hybrids, praised for their forgiveness, have taken their place. While there’s no question that hybrids are easier to hit, the long iron still has value. It delivers a ball flight and precision many pros still rely on.

The decline of long irons says more about the modern mindset than the clubs themselves. Golfers expect quick results and gear that masks swing flaws. But improvement in golf, as in life, comes from effort. There’s no club that can replace disciplined practice.

Digital scorecards are gaining traction, especially as clubs look to cut costs. But something is lost in the transition. A printed card, filled with handwritten notes and numbers, offers a tangible record of the round. It’s part of the ritual. It requires nothing more than a pencil and a steady hand.

Replacing it with an app may be efficient, but it often means trading simplicity for screens, ads, and data collection. As with paper menus and handwritten letters, the printed scorecard is slipping into nostalgia.

Ongoing Traditions

One tradition that still endures, but not as consistently as it once did, is the post-round handshake. Removing your hat, removing your sunglasses, and thanking your playing partners is a universal gesture of sportsmanship. It costs nothing but adds immense value.

Concerns about germs or tight schedules shouldn’t outweigh this tradition. Golf isn’t just a game. It’s a shared experience. The final handshake reminds us that no matter how we played, we were lucky to spend those hours outdoors, together.

Match play, once central to competitive golf, has become rare outside of team events like the Ryder Cup. The PGA Championship transitioned to stroke play decades ago, and the number of televised match-play events has dwindled. The reason is simple: it’s harder to broadcast.

Yet for players, match play remains one of the most exciting formats. It’s strategic, psychological, and personal. Golfers don’t need a broadcast deal to keep it alive. A casual match with friends is a great place to start.

Many new courses now favor shorter par threes. Long par threes, once a test of precision and nerve, are being shortened to appease pace-of-play concerns and accommodate beginner skill levels.

While no one wants a six-hour round, the solution isn’t to remove challenge from the game. Length, angles, and elevation changes are part of golf’s allure. Courses should push players to think and stretch their game, not lower the hoop to make the dunk easier.

Finally, the tradition of the 19th hole, the post-round gathering in the clubhouse, is at risk. In a fast-paced world, many players head straight to their cars once the last putt drops. But those moments after the round matter. Sharing stories, comparing notes, and decompressing over a drink.  These rituals deepen the game’s social fabric.

You don’t have to drink to take part. You don’t even have to stay long. But making time for a few words with your playing partners keeps the community aspect of golf alive.

Golf is evolving. That’s not inherently a bad thing. But in the rush to modernize, it’s worth asking what we’re leaving behind. Traditions, once dismissed as fussy or outdated, often carry more meaning than we realize. They connect generations of golfers, build respect, and give the game its soul.

Golf has room for everyone. But to fully appreciate it, we need to understand what makes it special. Respecting tradition isn’t about gatekeeping. It’s about gratitude for the game, the course, and the people we share it with.